Trophy
by BettyLovesCupcakes
Summary: Tony and Pepper have gotten on with their lives and are just trying to cope with each day at a time. Unfortunately for them, Aldrich Killian is alive and well... But he wants his Trophy... Pepperony.
1. Chapter 1

**TROPHY**

_**Plot: Tony and Pepper have gotten on with their lives and are just trying to cope with each day at a time. Unfortunately for them, Aldrich Killian is alive and well... But he wants his Trophy... Pepperony.**_

_**Hello, Readers... So, this is my first Iron Man FanFiction and second Marvel FanFiction (First being "When Do We Start?" A Captain America FanFiction.)**_

_**Do leave a review and let me know what you think, if you like this so far and etc. :)**_

**CHAPTER ONE**

Pepper drummed her fingers on the mouse pad, her eyes scanning the figures which were on the screen. Financial calculations weren't something she wasn't used to and she _never _went into work distracted. But today was different, something was up with Tony...

_SIX HOURS AGO..._

_"Tony!" Pepper called, picking up her bag, preparing to leave. "I'm going now."_

_"Wait, wait, wait!" He called back from upstairs. Pepper raised her eyebrows hearing some banging around upstairs followed by his footsteps growing louder and louder. She watched him run down the stairs, holding her jewellery box in his hand. "This is yours - obviously." _

_"I don't really know why I would need to take that to work-"_

_"-No, not that - besides for show and tell...you take me." He winked at her, making her smile in return, still frowning at what he was doing. "So, __**everything **__in here fits you?"_

_"Yes..."_

_"Like, your necklaces, earrings and rings?"_

_"Yes."_

_"So, the rings are the correct sizes?"_

_Pepper swallowed, feeling a horrible twisting sensation in her stomach. "Yeah...They do."_

_"Cool - Okay, well off with your head! Not actually your head, but you're gonna be late-"_

_"-because you're talking, Tony-"_

_"-Because I'm worth it." He finished, walking towards her and kissing her quickly on the lips. "Go get 'em tiger."_

She exhaled slowly, trying to rid herself of the thought of their conversation this morning. He could have been asking for **any **reason, she was trying to be too rational, too conclusive. Besides, they weren't in the right place for a... _It's not a proposal... _ Pepper mentally told herself, biting her lip. They were definitely, 100% not in any way prepared for a proposal - at least she wasn't. It had only been four months since everything happened with extremis and KIllian. Pepper shivered remembering how horrible it was, the horrific feeling she felt as she plummeted to the ground at speeds she didn't know any human was capable of. She remembered how she woke up, feeling the pain of being able to pop her shoulder back in the socket and recover from the burns that were on her face. She wiped her palms on her skirt, feeling uneasy at allowing herself to drift towards those thoughts, she shouldn't. But she did wonder - what if he survived? She survived falling several hundred feet into a burning inferno - so perhaps, he could?

_I like big butts and I cannot lie!_

Pepper jumped as her phone started ringing, the allocated ring tone which Tony had set for whenever he rang her. She gave up even trying to turn it back: He was always a step ahead of her. She quickly exhaled sharply, before picking up the phone,

"Yes, Tony?" She sighed, an automatic sly grin growing on her face. She couldn't help it, they just fitted well together, despite being polar opposites.

"Shouldn't you address me as Sir, since you're at work?" He asked her, the sound of Rhodey talking in the background.

"Be thankful I'm addressing you at all-"

"-Feisty one you are." He interrupted her, in a terrible impression of Yoda, making her roll her eyes. "Rhodes - give us a minute?" He said in the background, to which she heard him say _okay, _followed by the sound of a door shutting. "Peps, about this morning-"

"- Tony, it's fine, I was just getting a little freaked out-"

"-I was gonna buy you a gift, not a proposal." He said, before sighing heavily at the end of the sentence.

Pepper nodded, feeling an odd twinge of sadness at the fact that it wasn't a proposal. "Well, I'm glad that's what it was."

"You don't sound glad."

"I am." She lied, sounding unsuccessful at it. "Do you think we could ever end up married?" She asked, feeling her palms starting to feel clammy again, a direct result of nervousness.

There was a moment silence on the phone, before Tony finally spoke. "Peps, I love you and I hope to be married to you and have your children one day - God, I sound like a chick."

"You sound romantic-"

"-Your very own real, life rom-com. I'm obviously the hunky, topless male who swims a lot."

"You're scared of water-"

"-Fish!" He quickly said. "They creep me out... I love you, Peps."

Pepper smiled, feeling genuinely happy. "I love you too - speak to you later."

"Bye." He finished, before hanging up leaving Pepper sitting in her office chair, a big grin on her face. She placed her phone down, before looking back at the figures on the screen.

_Knock...Knock..._

"One Second!" Pepper called out, before standing up, a smile still on her face from the telephone conversation. _Things are fine, you just overreacting again. A few years you could be married..._

Pepper cleared her throat, opening the door and feeling the smile fade instantly from her face. Her legs went weak and her eyes went wide, she was going to throw up: she certainly felt like it. She didn't know what to expect, _who _to expect, but this was her worst nightmare - this couldn't be happening. Not now - not ever.

"I know it's embarrassing...but I'd like my trophy now." Aldrich Killian said, his cutting words making her nightmare a reality...


	2. Chapter 2

**TROPHY**

_**Thank you very much to all who reviewed, followed and added this story to their favourites! It's awesome that people like this so far :) **_

_**Hope you like the second chapter and this contains the first, of many, twists :O**_

_**Do leave a review and let me know what you think, if you like this so far and etc. :)**_

**CHAPTER TWO**

Tony placed his phone down on the table, before standing up, pacing back and forth. The phone call did not go the way he had predicted: and usually he was right about his predictions. He heard the door slightly open, before Rhodey came in, clearly noticing the anxious pace.

"You okay?" Rhodey asked, his voice laced with concern. Tony looked at him sitting down and Rhodey sat down opposite him, the kitchen area of the Stark Tower well lit.

"Nope." He replied, taking a final gulp of the espresso he made.

Rhodey raised his eyebrows, both elbows resting on the table. "You gonna tell me why?"

"Nope." Tony said, before clearing his throat. "Not talking about it - Okay, Listen - "

"-I thought you're not-"

"-Shh!" Tony interrupted, holding his hand up. "I'm talking." Rhodey shook his head briefly, before motioning him to continue talking. Tony took a deep breath, before finally speaking. "I was going to buy her a ring, a ring as in an engagement ring as in...A will you marry the most awesome guy in the world ring." He finished, completing his statement all in one breath.

"Wow." Rhodey replied. "So, I guess she caught on?"

"I thought I was being subtle."

"Subtly is not your strongest suit." Rhodey commented, grinning at the expression on Tony's face.

Tony mockingly placed a hand on his heart, where the arc reactor used to be. "Complimenting me isn't yours."

"You compliment yourself enough-"

"JARVIS!" Tony suddenly called, standing up and clapping his hands. Rhodey rolled his eyes at Tony's sudden movements.

"Yes, sir?" The British sounding AI system replied.

Tony turned to Rhodey, raising his eyebrows at him. "Pay me a compliment."

There was a second of silence, before the AI finally replied. "Is that really necessary, sir?"

Rhodey shook his head in disbelief, leaning back and crossing his arms. "To prove something to Rhodey - yes."

"Well, sir, you are one the smartest minds of the generation." The AI system told him, a hint of sarcasm in the automated voice.

"Thank you!" Tony called out, smirking with satisfaction. "See? He appreciates me - stating the obvious, sure, but nevertheless-"

"-Tony." Rhodey said, interrupting him so that he would get straight to the point.

"Rhodey." He replied, before his smirk faded away and he let out a sigh. He shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the fridge, picking two bottles of water and placing them on the table. He sat down opposite Rhodey, finally getting to the part he didn't want to - The serious truthfulness. "I want to propose to Pepper. I don't want it to be a big extravagant thing - obviously the wedding would be, but..." He trailed off, feeling heavy with emotion. A rollercoaster ride is an understatement of everything they had been through: on their own and together. Pepper made sense to him, they clicked - he hated the cheesiness of it, but that was the truth. He would kill for her and he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. But he was Tony Stark, billionaire superhero. He kept expecting her to leave: after New York or after Killian - but she stayed. He closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the moment, how his hand was so close to hers. If only he stretched his fingers more, he could have grasped her. It was irrelevant that she survived the fall: it was the fact that he let her fall. _Never again, I swear __**Never Again **__would she be hurt. _

"It doesn't have to be a big deal - Just be honest with her." Rhodey told him, taking him out of his thoughts.

Tony opened his eyes and smiled lightly. Rhodey was the other person who was always there for him, regardless of what people thought or said. He was his best friend. Money didn't make Tony happy, he trusted little. Even after what happened with the Avengers, Rhodey stuck by, not asking him questions and just, generally, sticking by his side. "She's smart - she knew something was up."

"The phone call?" Rhodey clarified, piecing together why the phone call was an important one.

"She said if we would ever get married..."

"And?"

"I said Rhodes is my number one..." He laughed. " And that I do want to get married to her and have her children - who would be just as brilliant as me."

Rhodey smiled in reply, not really understanding _what _the problem is. Tony was bothered, he could tell by the way his eyes darted everywhere. "Then what's the problem?"

Tony swallowed, tilting his head to the left to look out of the windows. The view of New York City, never getting old. "Something's off." He told him, a horrible twisting sensation in his stomach. "Just a vibe..."

* * *

><p><em>"I know it's embarrassing...but I'd like my trophy now." <em>

Pepper tried to speak, tried to run, tried to do anything. But she couldn't. The fear, anxiety, hatred - all of it, just came rushing back to her, in that sentence he just spoke. Aldrich Killian was alive. Not a scar on his face. Extremis must have been much more powerful in him, than it was for her or anybody else. Then again, she did survive that fall - he could survive that explosion. She remembered the pain all over her body as she opened her eyes, hearing his voice and Tony's in the distant. She wasn't in control of her actions, she was simply a passenger watching what she was doing. But regret over her actions? No. In this specific moment, seeing that he was alive after everything he had put Tony and herself through, she really wished she was successful in hurting him. _Trophy..._She recalled him saying. She remembered the first time, that was even brought up...

_"You think he'll help you... he won't." She told him, trying to sound confident, the fear radiating through her. _

_He came even closer to her and she was unable to move an inch. "It's more, uh, embarrassing than that. You're here as my, uh..."_

_"Trophy." She completed, feeling disgusted at this man. _

_"Yeah."_

Pepper opened her mouth to speak, but before she could even register what was happening, he pushed her back with excessive force making her topple backwards, her elbows connecting with floor. _Thank god I got it carpeted... _She briefly thought. She quickly stood up, backing away as he walked in followed by two men, both holding guns. There was no way they would have just walked in, guns blazing - people got hurt and she dreaded to think of the bloodshed downstairs. One of the men accompanying him slammed the door shut.

"Tony is coming here any second." She hoarsely said, tensing up. She didn't know what he wanted, why he was here - she just wanted him gone.

Killian smirked at her, a harsh laugh coming out from him. "Honey -I've tapped your phones. Bless you, thinking it was an engagement - see, I'm the kind of man that doesn't mess with your head like that." He mockingly told her.

Pepper exhaled shakily, feeling extremely invaded - he had heard everything. "You're a monster." She spat at him.

He shrugged in return, his hands in his pocket. His whole demeanour was relaxed, as if this was a casual encounter. "Well, I did breath fire..." He told her, the smirk still on his face. "Sit down, Miss. Potts - please, don't make me ask twice." He threatened, his smirk fading and his eyes darkening.

Pepper swallowed, slowly sitting down, the temptation to grab her phone overwhelming. _They're armed... If I could distract them or get something blunt? _ "What do you want?"

Killian sighed, looking at the two men in mock confusion. "Do you not listen? I want my trophy."

"Why? You are not gaining anything." She gritted her teeth, the overwhelming lump in her throat growing heavier by the second. What if it just ended here? What if he shot her and that was it? _it won't be... _She convinced herself.

"Tony would suffer - His pain is my gain." He told her, walking by the chair, placing his hand on the back of it. Pepper stiffened, despising him being so close to her. He leaned forward, his breath in her ear. " You know what? I was just gonna leave a mess... but don't you think till be fun to ring him? Taunt him a bit?" He whispered.

"Don't..." Pepper shakily said. "Aldrich - you do not have to do this. You have a second chance so just... forget about the past. Move on." She told him, hoping that some part of him would register what she was saying even though, she knew it was a shot in the dark.

Killian was silent for a moment, before moving in front of her, leaning down so that he was level with her. "Have you told him yet?"

"Wha-"

"-You say what one more time, and I _swear_ I will hurt you."

She shook her head. "You don't scare me. You're pathetic. You truly are." She spat at him, her eyes filling up with tears.

He smiled at her. "And you, Virginia, are pregnant - " He lifted up a pregnancy stick, wrapped in a paper towel, from his jacket pocket. "You need to find a better place to dispose of this, then the bin outside - So, answer my question - have you told him yet?"


	3. Chapter 3

**TROPHY**

_**Thank you very much to all who reviewed, followed and added this story to their favourites! Cannot believe the amount of reviews I received for the previous chapter - every person that reviewed is awesome and I thank you very much :)**_

_**Do leave a review and let me know what you think, if you like this so far and etc. :)**_

**CHAPTER THREE**

Pepper couldn't feel anything, her body, her mind, her thoughts - all halted to an instant stop. She wished he said _anything, _no matter how threatening or crude or upsetting, just anything but that. He knew and this was now hell on earth. The man who may kill her, knows she is pregnant before Tony could even find out. Crazy thing, is that she was considering telling Tony tonight. _What if Tony never finds out... _She swallowed, feeling the lump on her throat threatening to spill out all the tears she was trying to hold back. What if this was it? Her life coming to an end in her office? _And my baby? No. __**No. **_She tried to think determinedly, _This is my baby and if Killian kills me - he'll kill my baby - __**our **__baby, Tony's Baby - My Child. _She knew in that moment she had to fight, if not physically, mentally. Not back down. Lie, first and if that fails, try to escape. If that fails? Then don't give up.

"I'm not pregnant." She whispered. She had intended to sound strong, confident but her voice came out in a hoarse whisper, the volume beyond her control.

Aldrich sighed, carelessly throwing the pregnancy test to the side, landing with a silent thud, by the bookcase. "I **knew **you were going to say that. You sound scared - Are you... _Peps..._Are you _scared _of me?" He mockingly asked her, calling her what Tony did. He placed a hand on the side of her face and she instantly slapped his hand away. He retaliated by roughly grabbing her chin forcing her to look at him. "Every action you take from now on, is not going to made with you in mind, but your baby. So, let's say you try to slap me, I could stab you. And that won't end well for everyone, will it?"

Pepper whimpered lightly, despite trying not to. The thought of him hurting her baby was too much, it would kill her. She just wanted to tell Tony, that's all, she just wished she could go back to that phone call and tell him. She swallowed, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I swear... If you do anything to my... If you _hurt _my-"

"-You what, Pepper? I thought you're not pregnant - but we both know that's a lie." He replied, his grip on her starting to hurt.

She shook her head, starting to find it hard to breath. "Tony will kill you and succeed this time, if you hurt me." She told him, trying to mentally remind herself to inhale then exhale.

"Just like last time, huh?" Killian replied, finally letting go of her. He stood up, walking over to one of the men who handed him a cloth which seemed damp with something. _Chloroform... _Pepper thought fearfully.

"You don't know if I still have Extremis." Pepper said, trying to prevent him from doing anything. She darted a glance at an ornament which was on her desk, if she could time it right...

"Honey - I know you don't, I suppose I've been, uh, well - a bit _obsessive _over you." He told her, the corner of his mouth rising. "Can you imagine the look on his face when he hears that I have you?"

Pepper swallowed, deciding to try and hit him any second. _Be unexpected... You cannot just sit here and be a victim. _"You won't be telling him anything." She determinedly told him, causing him to laugh out in reply. He took a step towards her and that is the moment she decided to act. Without even mentally preparing herself she quickly lunged to grab the ornament and swing it his direction. Before she even knew what was happening, he grabbed her wrist mid-air and twisted it so that she had to drop the ornament, letting out a hiss of pain. Pepper tried to kick him and connected with his shin, but he didn't even make a sound. He just let out a grunt before grabbing her other arm and pulling her out of the chair. She tried to punch him, kick him, cause any sort of damage but his grip on her wrist was too painful - any more pressure, and she swore he would break it. She didn't even realise she was moving backwards until her back connected with the wall, causing her cry out in pain.

"Get off!" She shouted at him, hoping that somebody would hear her and try to help her.

Killian moved so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face. "That was a very _dangerous _thing to do, Pepper. I could've broke your wrist or every single bone in your body - but I'm too kind." Pepper struggled, trying to move, her knees trying to connect with his legs, cause him some sort of pain. "Pepper... Pepper..." He calmly said, waiting for her to stop struggling, reminiscent of the last time he took her. "Hey!" He shouted, making her stop moving and look at him fearfully. "You're mine now. I saw your face, when you saw how I changed - you were impressed, you wished you weren't with _him _but with me - and now, I am giving you a chance to make your dream a reality."

"You're delusional." She whispered, her eyes wide in terror.

He smirked in return, before she felt his hand cover her mouth, the cloth with chloroform over her. Before she could even try not to inhale, she could feel the effects on her. The drowsiness, the weakness - rather than fighting against it, she welcomed it. It was an escape - her knees hit the floor, and the rest of her body followed suit. She lay there, her breaths shallow, the darkness over taking her. She closed her eyes, waiting to drift off, waiting to be away from him and closer to Tony. As much as she knew it wouldn't happen, as much as she knew it was real - a part of her hoped that when she would wake up, it would all be nothing but a nightmare.


End file.
